Indian PM cancels Dhaka trip after Bangladesh detects coronavirus

Last month thousands of protesters demanded govt to cancel invitation to PM Modi

NEW DELHI: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi cancelled a visit to Bangladesh next week to attend a celebration of the country's first president, after Dhaka detected its first cases of coronavirus and postponed the event.

The event marking the centenary of the birth of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was scheduled to take place on March 17.

Last month, thousands of people marched on the street of Dhaka protesting against anti-Muslim violence in New Delhi and called on the Bangladeshi government to cancel the invitation to Indian PM Modi.

At least 42 people were killed and more than 200 injured in New Delhi last month after a clashes broke out between protesters in favour of controversial citizenship law and those against it.

The protesters said that invitation to Modi is an insult to the 1971 liberation war of Bangladesh and disrespect to the non-communal freedom icon of the nation.

On Sunday, Bangladesh confirmed its first three cases of coronavirus and urged citizens returning from six countries - China, Italy, South Korea, Singapore, Iran and Thailand - to quarantine themselves in their homes for 14 days.

The number of people infected with the coronavirus has topped 110,000 globally as the outbreak reached more countries.

"Prime Minister's (Modi) visit to Bangladesh next week at the invitation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is being deferred," Indian foreign ministry spokesperson Ravish Kumar said.

With additional input from Anadolu Agency